Friday, November 03, 2006

Is Green planning to challenge his loss?

Congressman Mark Green's been assuring us that his inability to spend about $468,000 in illegal interest money won't hurt his campaign. They have enough to execute the campaign plan, even without that money, he's said repeatedly.

He said it again to WKOW-TV in Madison. But with a twist: Maybe he'll challenge the election results if he loses. Here's the story:

Green said his campaign has not been compromised by his inability to use $468,000 in campaign funds.

The State Elections Board ruled the transfer of the money from Green's congressional campaign warchest to the governor's race was illegal.

The funds came from political action committees not registered in the state of Wisconsin.

The State Supreme Court refused to hear Green's challenge to the ruling before election day.

Green said people have told him it was wrong for his campaign to be denied the money, when at least one previous congressman was allowed to use identical campaign funds in a bid for governor.

"In a strange way, it energized a lot of folks."

Green's attorney has said stripping Green of the ability to use the campaign funds could invalidate the results of the election.

Green declined to comment on whether he would challenge election results if defeated.

Is that why the Greenies have been so anxious to go to court on this issue? Are they trying to build a record so they can challenge the whole election if he loses? Or is he just making sure he has an excuse for his defeat, which seems more likely every day?

The State Supreme Court disapppointed him by putting off a decision until after the election. Or maybe it didn't disappoint him. Maybe that's what Green wanted, and Justice Patrick Crooks helped him get the desired result by voting with the liberals on the court.

And maybe Green's looking for a way to get it to the U.S. Supreme Court, which elected George Bush.

It seems to me that the voters of Wisconsin deserve to know, before the cast their ballots on Tuesday, whether Green is prepared to accept the results.

I think the elections board made the right decision. Here is what I'm curious about, what was your position in the Democratic primary in 2002 with Barrett's money. The cases were pretty much identical yet entirely opposite rulings.

I am not sure what Green would challenge. Would it be if he had the money he'd win. Would not that just be a slippery slope. One would challenge the vote because of an ad, your opposition was less than honest in a debate etc...

Here's to hoping Doyle goes to jail and Lawton takes over as governor. That seems like a win-win situation for all involved.